1. Field
The present invention relates to a semiconductor carbon nanotubes and methods of selectively growing the semiconductor carbon nanotubes using light irradiation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Carbon nanotubes have been intensively studied due to their one-dimensional structure, controllable conductivity, and unique mechanical strength.
When carbon nanotubes are manufactured using a commercial chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”) method, metallic carbon nanotubes are formed together with semiconductor carbon nanotubes. Because the semiconductor carbon nanotubes are desirably used in semiconductor applications in the absence of metallic carbon nanotubes, methods of removing or separating the metallic carbon nanotubes from the semiconductor carbon nanotubes have been studied.
If a separation process is used, the as grown semiconductor carbon nanotubes may be removed together with the metallic carbon nanotubes when removing the metallic carbon nanotubes, thereby decreasing yield. Furthermore, when the metallic carbon nanotubes are removed from a mixture including the semiconductor carbon nanotubes and the metallic carbon nanotubes, the removing process may cause an undesirable structural defect in the semiconductor carbon nanotubes.
Thus there remains a need for an improved method providing semiconductor carbon nanotubes with the absence of metallic carbon nanotubes.